Will California Try to Drain New York’s Lakes?

New York State is home to 2 Great Lakes and several other sources of freshwater. Will California, and other states, try and come for them?

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New York State's Water

Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are the 2 Great Lakes of New York State. They join the Finger Lakes, Lake Placid, Lake Champlain, Oneida Lake, Great Sacandaga Lake, and SO MANY OTHERS (especially in the Adirondack Mountains) that make up the ample freshwater lakes of New York State. It's one of, if not the best, resources the State has and it's becoming increasingly more valuable as climate change occurs.

The Water Problems Out West

Freshwater resources have been a major problem in the Western United States. For example in California, where wildfires and drought have become rampant. Water demand is exceeding supply. That's not the only area that has struggled in recent years. The Colorado River has been drying up. Several lakes and other rivers have begun drying up as well out west, and it's causing desperate measures to be considered.

Other Areas With Water Problems in the US

It's not just out West, either. In Texas, New Mexico, Mississippi, Michigan, Maryland, and even Hawaii there are concerns about drinking water in cities. These are due to poop water treatment facilities, failing reservoirs, pollution, and bacteria. More about this from ABC News, click here.

Will California Try to Drain New York's Lakes?

Well, not literally. One idea covered by USA Today in their story Water crisis in West has prompted desperate ideas: Drain the Great Lakes, desalinate ocean water is an idea to drain the great lakes into the Colorado River.

How it could work: With 20% of the available surface fresh water in the world, the Great Lakes are essentially massive reservoirs that could quench the thirst of states like Arizona and California.

For various logistical reasons, the article points out that this will likely NOT happen. It is also, as it points out, illegal to do this from the Great Lakes. However, it does bring up an interesting question: will these states and regions try to take our freshwater from us at some point? Might even the Federal Government attempt to force us to share it? Or, might it become a sort of cash crop for the State since is such a highly valuable commodity? These are all extreme scenarios and, again, HYPOTHETICALS.

This is an interesting thing to consider though. The article gives several other things these areas are considering from taking the salt out of ocean water with nuclear energy to melting icebergs. Read more here; USA TODAY.